Bel Air Celebrates 50 Years of Town Hall with Ceremony, Sculpture

The town of Bel Air recognized the 50th anniversary of Town Hall Wednesday morning with a soiree and a sculpture.

Approximately 125 to 150 people attended a ceremony filled with sounds of the Bel Air Jazz Band and proclamations from dignitaries including state and county officials, according to Town Administrator James Fielder, Ph.D.

Clergy, school principals, rabbis, commissioners (past and present), business owners and others were invited to Town Hall for the occasion, Fielder said.

“We wanted ... to say thank you to the town—the volunteers and businesses, which are the backbone of the community,” Fielder told Patch. To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the building’s dedication, he said, it was only fitting to open it up to the community: “The reason the Town Hall is here is for the citizens.”

Bel Air Economic Development Director Trish Heidenreich, who organized the open house, said she was very pleased with the turnout.

“It’s very humbling to see how many people came,” Heidenreich said. “They are dedicated to making this the best place to live. They are engaged, and they understand the importance of local government.”

To put a spotlight on Town Hall, the Bel Air Downtown Alliance and the arts commission teamed up on a heart-shaped sculpture called the “Heart of Harford,” which was unveiled Wednesday morning outside the building on Hickory Avenue.

“Each piece of the mosaic, each reflection, represents the citizens of Bel Air,” Heidenreich said, offering her interpretation of the sculpture, which displays multiple hearts made of tiles and mirrors.

“We’re interconnected,” Heidenreich said, “and each of us has an opportunity to shine.”

Photo Credit: Elizabeth Janney. “Heart of Harford” was unveiled outside Town Hall in Bel Air on Sept. 17, 2014.